Game apparatus.



PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

C K PROBES GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15,1904.

N0 MODEL.

I WITNESSES: I

Patented August 23, 1904..

PATENT; OFFICE.

CHARLES K. PROBES, .OF ELMIRA,-NEW YORK.

' GAME APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,300, dated August 23, 1904, Application filed January I5, 1904. Serial No. 189,123. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES K. PRoBEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 1 Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus in which a coin or disk is deposited upon an inclined board studded with pins, wherebythe coin or disk is deflected in its downward course into one of several chutes.

or pockets, opposite which are displayed designating numbers or characters.

The object of my improvements is to provide an apparatus of this character in which the coins or disks will be held in plain sight from both front and rear of the machine when deposited in the indicating chutes or pockets, and, further, to provide a simple and effective means for interrupting the passage of the coin or disk through the chutes into the receptacle below, such means comprising a card or plate upon which are displayed the indicatingfigures or characters, which plate may also be readily changed to alter the figures or characters, as may be desirable from time to time.

base and top pieces B and 0 form the framework of the apparatus.

D is an inclined board provided with a plurality of pins arranged in any desirable manner, upon which board a coin or disk may be deposited through the slot S at the top of the machine. In front of this board is a glass plate E, which rests upon the panel G, which forms the front of the receiving-compartment of the apparatus. At the bottom of the board D is fitted a narrow plate of glass F, the bottom edge of which is spaced a short distance above the inclined shelf H, which passes across at the back of the apparatus between the side pieces A A. In the space between the glass plates E and F are located a number of dividj ing-strips I, which form the chutes or pockets at the 'base of the pin-board D, into which the coins or disks are deposited. These division-stripsI extend below the shelf H, and

the spaces between them back of the panel G are preferably filled with inclined blocks J,

by which the coins or disks in passing through are guided into the compartments of the recep- -tacle K. The receptacle K is removed from the apparatus through a door L at the back,

provided with a lock. (Not shown.)

Resting upon the inclined shelf H is a plate or card M, which I preferably make ofcelluloid, said card being slotted at m to correspond with the division-strips I, so as to project into the chutesformed said strips and obstruct the passage of coins or disks therethrough. On this card, opposite each chute,

isdisplayed a numeral or other figure or character, these numerals or figures being clearly discernible from the front of the apparatus through the glass plates E and F and being paratus. Spring-actuated pins N project upward through slots it in the shelf H and are engaged by corresponding holes in the plate or card M. These pins are formed from also exposed to view from the back of the ap- I spring-wire bent in the shape indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2- and attached to the bottom of the shelf H, guides O being provided to hold the spring-arms of said pins in position against the bottom of the shelf. Placed upon the rear of the card or plate M and also engaging pins N is a slide P, provided at the rear with means for grasping it with the hand. This slide is held in place by means of removable wedge-blocks Q, Q, inserted in corresponding sockets (0, provided therefor in the uprights A. v

r In operation a coin or disk deposited in the slot S will descend in a zigzag path down the pin-board D and drop into one of the chutes formed by the partition-strips I. The coin or disk is held in view by means of the obstructer-plate M and can be clearly seen both from the front and rear through the glass plates E and F. After determining the numeral or character opposite the chute into which the coin or disk is dropped the plate M is drawn back by means of slide P, thereby depositing the coin or disk in the receptacle K. Upon releasing the slide the spring-pins H return the slide and the plate M to normal position, thereby again obstructing the passage-way through the chutes.

The plate M may be provided with a different series of numerals or other characters on the reverse side in order that, if desirable, the character of the apparatus may be changed from time to time. To efiect this change, the wedge-blocks Q are removed, thereby permitting the slide P and plate M to be lifted from the pins N and removed from the apparatus. The plate M may then be reversed and the parts returned to their proper positions. A number of these plates M may be furnished with each apparatus or may be provided from time to time, as desired, so that the character of the apparatus may be varied in any way desired, the change being readily effected in the manner described.

While I have described wedge-blocks for holding the slide P in place, I do not confine myself to this means for holding and guidingsaid slide; neither do I restrict myself to the use of the springactuated pins N, as described, for effecting the return of the obstructer-plate M after it has been withdrawn to deposit the coin or disk in the receptacle.

A game apparatus, as above described, can be used for playing different games of chance of the bagatelle order. It has a special utility in the fact that the diverting-board is held in position by an upright frame, so that the pockets for the disks can be viewed from front and rear through the glass plates E and F. By the use of the changeable plates M, which bear the designating characters or numerals, a variety of games may be played with the one apparatus, and by utilizing the obstructer-plate for displaying the characters or numerals I am enabled to place said characters in close proximity to the pockets, thereby leaving the view-plates E and F unobstructed, so that a clear view of the pockets can be obtained from front and rear of the apparatus, and the characters and numerals are also placed in such position that they can be read from both front and rear.

Having thus described my machine, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A game apparatus comprising a disk-diverting pin-board, a plurality of chutes or pockets below said board, a compartment beneath said chutes to receive disks passing therethrough, an obstructer-plate provided with projections adapted to close the passageways through said chutes, said plate being marked with a designating numeral or character opposite each chute, glass plates at front and rear of said chutes through which the disks and designating numerals or characters may be viewed, a shelf at the rear of said chutes upon which said plate rests, means for retracting said plate upon said shelf to open said passage-ways, a spring to hold said plate normally in closed position, and means for removing said plate for the purpose set forth.

2. A game apparatus comprising a disk-diverting pin-board, a plurality of chutes or pockets below said board, a compartment heneath said chutes to receive disks passing therethrough, a shelf at the rear of said ch utes, spring actuated pins projecting upward through transverse slots in said shelf, an obstructer plate provided with projections adapted to close the passage-ways through said chutes, said plate resting upon said she] I in engagement with said pins, and means for retracting said plate to open said passageways, the pins holding said plate normally in closed position.

3. A game apparatus comprising a disk-diverting pin-board, a plurality of chutes or pockets below said board, a compartment heneath said chutes to receive disks passing therethrough, ashelt' at the rear of said chutes, spring actuated pins projecting upward through transverse slots in said shelf, an obstructer plate provided with pmjections adapted to close the passage-ways through said chutes, said plate resting upon said she] 1 in engagement with said pins, a removable slide resting upon said plate and engaging said pins, and means for grasping said slide to retract the plate.

4. A game apparatus comprising a disk-diverting board, a plurality of chutes or pockets below said board, a compartment beneath said chutes to receive disks passing therethrough, an obstructer-plate provided with projections adapted to close the passage-ways through said chutes, said plate being marked on both sides with designating numerals or characters opposite each chute, glass plates at frontand rear of said chutes through which thedisks and designating numerals and characters may be viewed, a shelf at the rear of said chutes upon which said plate rests, means for retracting said plate to open said passageways, and means for reversing said plate to change the designating numerals or characters.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES K. PROBES.

WVitnesses:

M. E. VERBECK, A. S. DIvEN. 

